Character Entry by Inputting Strokes Through a Circular Input Device

• US 20080150768A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Computime Electronics Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Computime Electronics Company Limited
• Inventors: Lei, Kairy Kai, Ha, Wai-Leung
• Application Number:
  US11/613,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20080150768A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The present invention provides methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for inputting character information from a circular input device. Character information is provided by a user drawing at least one input stroke on the circular input device. The circular input device is partitioned into a plurality of regions, where each region is associated with a numerical value. When an input stroke is detected, corresponding numerical values are obtained. A code is obtained from the sequence, and a character is extracted from the code. Also, character strokes may be obtained with at least one input stroke from a circular input device, where a character contains a plurality of character strokes. Different operational modes may be selected by a user pressing a predefined location of a circular input device so that a user may enter different languages, including English and Chinese.

Claims

1. A method for inputting a character with a circular input device, comprising:

(a) partitioning the circular input device into a plurality of regions;

(b) detecting a first input stroke from the circular input device, the first input stroke traversing at least one region of the plurality of regions;

(c) obtaining a corresponding numerical value corresponding to a corresponding region, the corresponding region being one of the at least one region; and

(d) when in a first input mode, repeating (b)-(c) until a first code is obtained, the first code comprising a first sequence of numerical values.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) determining a first character from the first code.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) detecting a second input stroke from the circular input device, the second input stroke traversing the at least one region of the plurality of regions;

(f) obtaining an associated numerical value associated with an associated region, the associated region being one of the at least one region;

(g) when in a second input mode, repeating (e)-(f) until a second code is obtained, the second code comprising a second sequence of numerical values, the second code representing a character stroke; and

(h) repeating (g) to obtain a plurality of character strokes.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

(i) determining a second character from the plurality of character strokes.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first character is contained in the English language alphabet.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second character is contained in the Chinese language alphabet.

7. The method of claim 1, (a) comprising:

(a)(i) partitioning the circular input device into at least four regions, a first region having a first angular area that is associated with a first numerical value, a second region having a second angular area that is associated with a second numerical value, a third region having a third angular area that is associated with a third numerical value, and a fourth region having a fourth angular area that is associated with a fourth numerical value.

8. The method of claim 7, (a) further comprising:

(a)(ii) partitioning the circular input device into a fifth region, the fifth region being in a center portion of the circular input device and being associated with a fifth numerical value.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein each member of the first sequence of numerical values has a value selected from the group consisting of the first numerical value, the second numerical value, the third numerical value, and the fourth numerical value.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) detecting an error condition from the first code.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) detecting a time pause between the input strokes; and

(f) including an indicator in the first code to signify the time pause.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

(f) displaying an extrusion lines on the circular input device to reference one of the plurality of regions.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) selecting an input mode from an input indication, the input indication being associated with one of the plurality of regions.

14. The method of claim 1, the first code being discernable from another code regardless of a direction of the first input stroke.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) reducing a number of members in the first sequence of numerical values.

16. An apparatus supporting a user entering input information, comprising:

a circular input device capturing input stroke information;

a processing unit obtaining the input stroke information from the circular input device and configured to perform;

(a) partitioning the circular input device into a plurality of regions;

(b) detecting a first input stroke from the circular input device, the first input stroke traversing at least one region of the plurality of regions;

(c) obtaining a corresponding numerical value corresponding to a corresponding region, the corresponding region being one of the at least one region;

(d) when in a first input mode, repeating (b)-(c) until a first code is obtained, the first code comprising a first sequence of numerical values; and

(e) extracting a first character from the first code.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is further configured to perform:

(f) detecting a second input stroke from the circular input device, the second input stroke traversing the at least one region of the plurality of regions;

(g) obtaining an associated number associated with an associated region, the associated region being one of the at least one region;

(h) when in a second input mode, repeating (f)-(g) until a second code is obtained, the second code comprising a second set of numerical values, the second code representing a character stroke; and

(i) repeating (h) until a second character is obtained, the second character having a plurality of character strokes.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions comprising:

(a) partitioning the circular input device into a plurality of regions;

(b) detecting a first input stroke from the circular input device, the first input stroke traversing at least one region of the plurality of regions;

(c) obtaining a corresponding numerical value corresponding to a corresponding region, the corresponding region being one of the at least one region;

(d) when in a first input mode, repeating (b)-(c) until a first code is obtained, the first code comprising a first sequence of numerical values; and

(e) extracting a first character from the first code.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising:

(f) detecting a second input stroke from the circular input device, the second input stroke traversing the at least one region of the plurality of regions;

(g) obtaining an associated numerical value associated with an associated region, the associated region being one of the at least one region;

(h) when in a second input mode, repeating (f)-(g) until a second code is obtained, the second code comprising a second sequence of numerical values, the second code representing a character stroke; and

(i) repeating (h) until a second character is obtained, the second character having a plurality of character strokes.

20. A method for inputting a character with a circular input device, comprising:

(a) partitioning the circular input device into a plurality of regions;

(b) when an input mode corresponds to English language characters, performing;

(b)(i) detecting a first input stroke from the circular input device, the first input stroke traversing at least one region of the plurality of regions;

(b)(ii) obtaining a corresponding numerical value corresponding to a corresponding region, the corresponding region being one of the at least one region; and

(b)(iii) repeating (b)(i)-(b)(ii) until a first code is obtained, the first code comprising a first sequence of numerical values; and

(b)(iv) determining an English language character from the first code; and

(c) when an input mode corresponds to Chinese language characters, performing;

(c)(i) detecting a second input stroke from the circular input device, the second input stroke traversing the at least one region of the plurality of regions;

(c)(ii) obtaining an associated numerical value associated with an associated region, the associated region being one of the at least one region;

(c)(iii) repeating (c)(i)-(c)(ii) until a second code is obtained, the second code comprising a second sequence of numerical values, the second code representing a character stroke;

(c)(iv) repeating (c)(iii) to obtain a plurality of character strokes; and

(c)(v) determining a Chinese language character from the plurality of character strokes.